QuickMedical's Operations Manager Warren Strasen, along with Jessica from the QuickMedical accounting team and other friends and mountain enthusiasts, recently reached the top of Mount St. Helens.
Warren said this trip was "a geological history of the Cascade volcanoes with a focus on Mount St. Helens. We climbed out of the Bivouac/ Ptarmigan Trailhead. The route took us over 4600 feet of elevation gain, covering approximately 9.5 miles round trip, averaging about 1000 foot gain per mile."
The hike was hard work. "The last 3 miles of trail was rugged and we were scrambling over rock and hiking in scree (loose rock and gravel). The very last bit of the climb was a part they call the vertical beach and for every third step up I would slide down on the loose sand."
Mount St. Helens is located in the Cascade Range and is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire that includes over 160 active volcanoes. It's well known for its ash explosions and pyroclastic flow and is most notorious for its catastrophic eruption on May 18, 1980. This was the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States.
Fortunately, there was no repeat of that sad history while Warren and company traversed its slopes. They are all safe and sound with the memorable experience of climbing Mount St. Helens.
QuickMedical is your online source for medical equipment and supplies for emergency and disaster preparedness. Both home emergency preparedness and hospital disaster preparedness medical equipment and supplies can be ordered conveniently from QuickMedical, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But don't wait until disaster strikes. Make sure you have an emergency checklist, which should include an evacuation plan, escape routes, and family communication. In the event of a major national emergency, your cell phone might not be the best way to stay in touch with your family. Plan how you can communicate in emergencies, and have supplies for at least 3 days. Seattle Children's Hospital's Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson wrote a great piece on natural disaster preparedness.
FEMA recommends you should stock in your home: water, food, first aid supplies, clothing, bedding and sanitation supplies, tools, and any special items you might need -- such as diabetes testing supplies or contact lens cleaner. Keep the items that you would most likely need during an evacuation in an easy-to-carry container like a backpack, garbage bag or duffel bag. QuickMedical carries many of the necessary basics. Bandages, gloves, thermometers, and antiseptic wipes. Aspirin and allergy medication should be included, as well as medical equipment like tweezers and scissors.
Currently, a low-intensity hurricane named Issac threatens the United States Gulf Coast. The storm has already caused a few deaths in Haiti and is expected to make landfall in 2 to 3 days, which means it could strike on the 7 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
Here in the Northwest, earthquakes are always a possibility, with much less warning time than a hurricane provides. Tornados can strike with very little warning as well and are common in regions with large expanses of flat land. No matter where you live, QuickMedical can help get your home or hospital the emergency medical supplies necessary to survive when disaster strikes.
Do you know what psoriasis is? Google or wiki psoriasis and you'll learn about different types of psoriasis and symptoms, but doctors and even the National Psoriasis Foundation don't know exactly what causes or how to stop psoriasis. According to the best theories of scientists and the National Psoriasis Foundation, psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. It is not contagious.
There are two main hypotheses about the process that occurs in the development of the disease. The first considers psoriasis as primarily a disorder of excessive growth and reproduction of skin cells. The problem is simply seen as a fault of the epidermis and its keratinocytes. The second hypothesis sees the disease as being an immune-mediated disorder in which the excessive reproduction of skin cells is secondary to factors produced by the immune system.
Psoriasis can be very painful and can affect an individual's self-esteem. It is also a fairly idiosyncratic disease. Cases of psoriasis may worsen or improve for no apparent reason. Studies of the factors associated with psoriasis tend to be based on small (usually hospital based) samples of individuals. Bath solutions and moisturizers, baby oil, and petroleum jelly may help soothe affected skin and reduce the dryness which accompanies the build-up of skin on psoriatic plaques. Medicated creams and ointments applied directly to psoriatic plaques can help reduce inflammation, remove built-up scale, reduce skin turn over, and clear affected skin of plaques.
If you've been diagnosed with psoriasis, don't worry. Stress has been known to cause the disease to worsen, so really-- don't worry! Contact the National Psoriasis Foundation for educational materials. Always consult with your regular health professional before making any treatment decisions. The vast majority of patients with psorasis have very mild symptoms, and these symptoms usually come and go with time. With the help of medical professionals, friends and family, you can manage this troubling disease, until there are more answers on how to stop it.
This is the the official 2012 Hands-Only CPR instructional video from the American Heart Association. Learn how to perform CPR in this 60-second video showing Hands-Only CPR in action. Be prepared for emergencies with QuickMedical first aid supplies.
Do you have proper desk posture? Improper desk posture causes injuries, both in the long term and short term. Eye strain, neck pain, and the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome are all attributed to incorrect sitting posture at the computer.
Many of us use computers at least daily, some of us, all day long. To avoid a trip to the physical therapist it's best to sit correctly at your desk when using the computer. Click ahead for some helpful tips by physical therapists on good desk posture and how to sit correctly at your desk.
Hartford Business.com, a publication of the Hartford Business Journal featured a recent article by Greg Seay about a new development in healthcare-- the Medical Mall. On the the edge of a real shopping mall, a new Hartford Hospital annex, "houses five primary care doctors who see as many as 100 patients a day on weekdays for everything from colds and sprains to physicals and surgery follow-ups." "The center also treats patients on weekends and holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas," according to Seay's article. This is the Medical Mall.
QuickMedical Question Guy:
What is the Frankfurt plane? I've also seen it written as Frankfort plane. What is the difference? Is there a difference? When I Google it I get lots of answers, some of which come from your site. So I thought I'd ask the Frankfurt plane experts. What's the Frankfurt plane?
Curious in Cairo (Illinois)
The Frankfurt plane is the same as the Frankfort plane. It's simple. It's this:
Easy right? Well, I suppose we could explain a little more. After all, if you're using the gold standard in stadiometers, you want to use the device properly. And to properly measure height, you must use the Frankfurt plane. Click ahead to read an explanation of the Frankfurt plane.
QuickMedical's CFO Eileen Brisbine recently returned from a seven day adventure in the heart of the North Cascade Mountains. She and her group successfully summited both Challenger and West Challenger Peaks.
She writes:
"For those of you who think you are too old to follow your dreams, I want you to think about the picture of Fay (69 years old, weighing in at 100 lbs) sitting on the summit of West Challenger after finishing the most difficult rock lead of her life. She aspires to be the second person to climb the highest 200 peaks and mountains in Washington state. After West Challenger, Fay has seven peaks left. Beth is 66 years old, weighing in at 112 lbs. She is working toward being one of a dozen women to climb the highest 100 peaks and mountains in Washington state. She has 3 remaining. She will soon attempt the two Moxee peaks. I wish her all the luck. They are inspirations to us all."
QuickMedical has a variety of useful medical products for hiking, mountain climbing, and outdoor activities, including first aid kits, LiquiCell Shear Point Bandages, Back Support Belts and Disposable Hot and Cold Packs.
We wish Beth and Fay good luck and safe travels on their future climbs. Next up QuickMedical's Eileen heads to the Ptarmingan Traverse.
Kinesiology Tape is ideal for managing pain and myofacial dysfunctions. Kinesiology tape is used by American Olympic athletes in training. The tape provides pain reduction, injury prevention, and performance enhancement in personal and professional settings.
The popularity of elastic therapeutic sport tape in the United States began with U.S. Olympic athletes. 50,000 rolls were donated to the U.S. Olympic team and the tape was seen on Olympic athletes in the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. Of these athletes, often photographed was Kerri Walsh who used the tape in competition following surgery on her rotator cuff. Lance Armstrong, 7 time winner of the Tour de France, talks about using tape in his book, where he describes the effectiveness of the treatment for his sore muscles. Gold medalist Serena Williams has also used kinesio tape during competition.
Spider Tech Pre-Cut Kinesiology Tape is ready to apply for immediate use in almost any situation. It's easy to use and comes with QuickMedical's best price guarantee. QuickMedical is the affordable online kinesiology tape source, as well as a great resource for other kinds of durable athletic tape for hospitals, clinics, and athletic departments.
For the first decade after its introduction, orthopedists, chiropractors, acupuncturists and other medical practitioners in Japan were the main users of the therapeutic tape. During the second decade after its introduction the tape was adopted by Japanese Olympic and professional athletes. Today summer Olympic athletes use kinesiology tape regularly, in training and in competition to help achieve their goals.
Spider-Tech has a short instructional video on the best procedure for applying their kinesiology tape, which you can watch here.
A hospital or clinic might take thousands of temperatures throughout the day. In facilities that serve big cities that number is probably much larger. Temperature is an important indicator of a patient's condition. Covidien offers thermometry products, new to QuickMedical, for your clinic's important temperature taking needs. Use the fast, accurate readings of the Covidien 3000EZ, which is available as an oral/axillary or rectal thermometer. The thermometer provides readings in 3 to 5 seconds on quick mode, 6 to 10 seconds on standard mode and 60 to 120 seconds on direct mode. This professional thermometer is dependable and latex free.
Covidien also offers the 303000 Genius(TM) 2 tympanic thermometer at QuickMedical. This thermometer is ideal for monitoring patient temperatures in medical settings. The Genius 2 uses Peak Select Technology to accurately measure temperatures from the Tympanic Membrane and record and analyze up to 100 measurements per scan. The tapered probe and tip based sensor technology of the Tympanic Thermometer improves accuracy and minimizes the need for recalibration while comfortably aligning with the ear canal. No touch probe covers prevent contamination and the spread of infection. The Genius II Thermometer can be hung on a wall or rested on a table for use.
These new products are currently available at QuickMedical and proudly made in the USA. Call us today and we'll help you get the thermometry products you need.
